diff --git a/pkg/reconciliation/construct_podtemplatespec.go b/pkg/reconciliation/construct_podtemplatespec.go
index 0fc0ad63..748ab317 100644
--- a/pkg/reconciliation/construct_podtemplatespec.go
+++ b/pkg/reconciliation/construct_podtemplatespec.go
@@ -478,8 +478,6 @@ func buildInitContainers(dc *api.CassandraDatacenter, rackName string, baseTempl
 		{Name: "RACK_NAME", Value: rackName},
 		{Name: "PRODUCT_VERSION", Value: serverVersion},
 		{Name: "PRODUCT_NAME", Value: dc.Spec.ServerType},
-		// TODO remove this post 1.0
-		{Name: "DSE_VERSION", Value: serverVersion},
 	}
 
 	envDefaults = append(envDefaults, configEnvVar...)
diff --git a/pkg/reconciliation/construct_podtemplatespec_test.go b/pkg/reconciliation/construct_podtemplatespec_test.go
index 37b7d031..6d3fde95 100644
--- a/pkg/reconciliation/construct_podtemplatespec_test.go
+++ b/pkg/reconciliation/construct_podtemplatespec_test.go
@@ -362,10 +362,6 @@ func TestServerConfigInitContainerEnvVars(t *testing.T) {
 					Name:  "PRODUCT_NAME",
 					Value: "cassandra",
 				},
-				{
-					Name:  "DSE_VERSION",
-					Value: "3.11.10",
-				},
 			},
 		},
 		{
@@ -393,10 +389,6 @@ func TestServerConfigInitContainerEnvVars(t *testing.T) {
 					Name:  "PRODUCT_NAME",
 					Value: "cassandra",
 				},
-				{
-					Name:  "DSE_VERSION",
-					Value: "3.11.10",
-				},
 			},
 		},
 	}